Elevating-truck.



G. E. CLARK.

ELEVATING TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 1914.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915..

- IN VEN TOR. Geozyelihzri BY A TTORNEY.

WITNESSES GEORGE E. CLARK, OF WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR'TO GEORGE P. CLARK COMPANY, OF WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELEVATING-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Application filed July 21, 1914. Serial No. 854,253.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Windsor Looks, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevating-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates'to elevating trucks of the type which embodya frame and a platform movable vertically and longitudinally with'res'pect to the frame. Such trucks An object of the invention is to provide in connection with an elevating truck simple and efficient means operable on the platform to move the latter longitudinally with respect to the frame.

Another object is to provide operating mechanism as described which is operable by the truck handle and attachable or detachable therefrom at will.

A further objectis toprovide mechanism of the class described which is provided with automatic lockingdevices to hold the platform in its elevated position.

-Other objects will appear in the detailed description to follow. 1

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved operating mechanism as applied to an ele-. vating truck; Fig. 2 is a front elevationalv view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in another position.

pulling the movable platform longitudinally on the truck frame has been illustrated. The devices for raising the platform, operable by the mechanism specifically shown, has not been illustrated, as that mechanism is known in the art. These devices are, however, fully In the drawings, only the mechanism for wheels and devices for lifting the movable platform 2, as disclosed in the application referred to above. A front wheel 3 is mounted 1n arms 4: depending from a plate 20 swiveled 1n the forward portion of the frame 1. Pivote'd to the plate 20 is an upstanding forked member 6 and slidably mounted therein is the truck handle 5. Pivotally attached to the frame at 10 on each side of the forked member 6 are levers 9 provided with ears 9. These levers 9 are I mounted adjacent the forked member 6 and the ears 9 are adapted to be engaged by a rod 8 transversely mounted in and fixed to the handle 1. The levers 9 are connected to the-movable platform 2 by links 11 which are pivotally connected to the levers 9 at 12, and to the platform 2 at 13;

Formed on the forked member 6 and projecting rearwardly therefrom is a curved member 15. The latter is adapted, when the handle 5 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, to engage the upper surface of the frame'l and prevent the handle from falling backwardly. Formed on the lowerportion of the levers 9 are outwardly extendlng curved lugs '16. These lugs 16 are adapted, when the levers 9 are in the position shown in Fig. 3, to engage the surface 17 of the frame 1 and limit the movement of the levers 9. A stop member 14, comprising a triangular shaped lug outwardly extending from the frame 1, is adapted to engage the under side of the links 11 ivhengthe-latter are in the position shown in In operation, when it is desired to lift the platform 2 from the frame 1, the handle 5 is moved tothe vertical position shown in Fig. 1. As-the handle 5 is brought upwardly, the outwardly extending rod 8 attached thereto engages the inclined surface 9 of the ears 9 on the levers 9. Further movement of the handle causes the rod 8 to ride up on the surfaces 9 and finally drop between the ears 9. The handle 5 may also be pulled outwardly-by hand to allow the cross bar 8 to ride over ears 9 and then enter between the ears. A downward movement of the handle 1 then operates to swing the lovers 9 on their pivots '10 and to pull the links 11 and-the platform 2 forwardly The movement of the levers 9 is limited by 1 is moved forwardly, devices on the frame 1 are operated thereby to elevate thev platform as fully disclosed in the above-mentioned application.

Fig. 3 shows the platform in an elevated position. It is to be noted particularly that, when the platform 2 is elevated, as there shown, the levers 9 and links 11 are arranged to hold the platform and load thereon in elevated positionwithout other elaborate locking devices. The levers 9 and links 11 form atoggle and, when they are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the center line of the link 11 lies below the pivot 10 of the lever 9. As further clockwise rotation of the lever 9 is prevented by the engagement of lug 1 6 and surface 17, it is impossible for the platform 2 to drop. It is also to be noted that, when the platform 2 and operating mechanism are in an elevated position, the handle 5 may be disengaged to draw the truck and, whenso disengaged, is free to swing laterally .and turn the swiveled wheel 3. It is also to be noted that the handle may be used independently a for steering and drawing the truck whether =t=he platform'is up or down.

It is recognized that many modifications of the structure disclosed may be made without departing from the scope of my invention which is more truly defined in the appended claims than in the foregoing f specific description.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In an elevatingtruck, the combination of a frame mounted on wheels one of -which is swiveled for steering, a platform arranged over the frame and horizontally movable with respect thereto, means to move said platform horizontally, comprising a handle pivotally connected with said swiveled wheel levers pivoted on said frame and provided with slots, a cross bar on said "handle operable by the latter for positioning in said slots to operably .connect the handle and levers to swing the latter by the former and link connections pivotally mounted between and on said levers andplatform, whereby the latter may be moved horizontally on said frame as said levers said swiveled wheel, levers pivoted to said frame, ears on the ends of said levers, a.

cross-bar on said handle adapted to engage said ears at will to move said levers',and llllk connections between sald levers and said platform, whereby the latter may be drawn forwardly as said levers are moved, said levers and link connections forming a toggle having a. part to engage the frame and adapted to hold the platform in its elevated position when the toggle centers are out of line.

3. In combination with an elevating truck having a frame mounted on wheels and with a swiveled wheel at the front, a platform movable on the frame, a U-shaped member pivoted to said swiveled wheel, a handle slidable in said U-shaped member, levers pivoted to said frame, ears on the ends of said levers, a cross-bar on said handle adapted to engage said ears at will to move said levers, and link connections between said levers and said platform, whereby the latter maybe drawn forwardly, as said levers are moved.

4. In combination with an elevating truck having a frame with wheels at the rear and a swiveled wheel at the front, a'

platform movable on the frame, and devices on the frame to lift the platform as it is drawn forwardly on said frame, a U-shaped member pivoted to said swiveled wheel, a handle 'slidable in said U-shaped member, levers'pivoted to said frame, ears on the ends of said levers, a cross-bar on said handle adapted to engage said ears at will to move said levers,'link connections between said levers and said platform whereby the latter may be drawn forwardly, as said levers are moved, and elevated bv said devices, said levers and link connections forming a toggle adapted to hold theplatform in its elevated position, and stop'members on said levers adapted to engage "with said frame when the platform is elevated and limit the movement of said levers.

GEORGE E. CLARK. Witnesses 1 g H. E. HARTWELL, .F. G. NEAL. 

